One of the most highly anticipated film openings this year is Disney's live-action remake of Mulan, with its international cast of Asian and Asian American actors.
Much to the consternation of movie house owners, after several postponements due to the coronavirus forcing closure of theater venues, Mulan is no longer headed for a major theatrical release. Instead, the Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday (July 5) that it will debut its live-action blockbuster on its subscription streaming service, Disney+, on Sept. 4.
So in addition to the cost of the $7 monthly subscription to the streaming network, customers will have to pay an additional $29.99 to rent the movie.
Mulan, a live-action remake of the animated film, was one of the first films affected by the coronavirus pandemic and the closure of theaters. Originally set for a March release in anticipation of a summer of box office revenue, the blockbuster has been delayed four times since.
“In order to meet the needs of consumers during this unpredictable period, we thought it was important to find alternative ways to bring this exceptional family-friendly film to them in a timely manner,” Disney CEO Bob Chapek said on the company’s earnings call. “We see this as an opportunity to bring this incredible film to a broad audience currently unable to go to movie theaters.”
Disney hopes its international cast and release in China's huge market, which has opened its theaters after apparent seeing the coronavirus under control, will help defray most of the movie's $200 billion budget.
ALL-ASIAN CAST
The blockbuster features Chinese stars Li Yufei as Mulan, Gong Li and Donnie Yen, and Asian American actors Jason Scott Lee, Tzi Ma and Rosalind Chao. After the cross-over appeal and financial success of Crazy Rich Asians, The story of the mythic Chinese warrior will be the biggest feature, and certainly the most expensive film, to use an all-Asian cast.
Disney mounted a lavish red carpet premiere at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on March 9. from which the movie received great reviews from the select audience.
While the long wait for the movie was generally greeted with praise from the AAPI community eager to see Asian and Asian American themes in their entertainment choices, Disney's announcement angered theater owners who had been promoting Mulan for months in hopes of reaping some revenue after long closures of their theaters.
A video showing a French theater owning destroying a Mulan advertising poster summed up the theater owners' reaction.
“It’s really a huge effort to stay open right now for most of us, but we were assuming there would be some ambitious movie releases in the coming weeks,” said Gerard Lemoine, owner of indie venue Cinepal in Palaiseau, a suburb south of Paris. “By losing Mulan, we lost the possibility of offering our audiences a long-awaited film that would have helped us after these past hard weeks. It is also a bad message to send to the public (who had been expecting a theatrical release)”
The debate among movie fans now is whether the $29.99 rental fee will be worth it. Disney+ is saying that once purchased, guests will be able to watch Mulan as long as they remain subscribed to Disney+. Access is not removed after a set timeframe like other streaming rentals.
“It’s really a huge effort to stay open right now for most of us, but we were assuming there would be some ambitious movie releases in the coming weeks,” said Gerard Lemoine, owner of indie venue Cinepal in Palaiseau, a suburb south of Paris. “By losing Mulan, we lost the possibility of offering our audiences a long-awaited film that would have helped us after these past hard weeks. It is also a bad message to send to the public (who had been expecting a theatrical release)”
WORTH THE COST?
So you figure: If you go to a theater with one other guest, at minimum you'll pay $12 a ticket, $24. A large popcorn and large drink (that you'll share) at least $10. By my calculations, you save $4 at Disney+. You save even more if you have kids or watch it multiple times.
But Mulan, with its sweeping battle scenes, soaring music in multiple speakers. blasting through the room, will be hard to reproduce unless you are one of the few who could afford an elaborate home theater with a wall-size screen.
Before Disney's decision to use Disney+, the studio had been promoting Mulan as a must-see in theaters. In fact, when Disney delayed the movie's general release for the third time in June, co-chairman and chief creative officer Alan Horn and co-chairman Alan Bergman highlighted the necessity to see the film on the silver screen.
“Director Niki Caro and our cast and crew have created a beautiful, epic, and moving film that is everything the cinematic experience should be, and that’s where we believe it belongs — on the world stage and the big screen for audiences around the globe to enjoy together,” said Horn and Bergman in a statement at the time.
“Director Niki Caro and our cast and crew have created a beautiful, epic, and moving film that is everything the cinematic experience should be, and that’s where we believe it belongs — on the world stage and the big screen for audiences around the globe to enjoy together,” said Horn and Bergman in a statement at the time.
Here's a trailer, but ignore the original opening date.
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